Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is in hot water after accusations surfaced that he improperly attempted to organize a remote presidential election during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
Adam Bodnar, Poland’s Public Prosecutor and Minister of Justice, is now calling for Morawiecki’s parliamentary immunity to be lifted so that he can face trial. Morawiecki, now serving as an MEP, has dismissed the move as a political attack.
The controversy traces back to the spring of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak. Morawiecki, who was prime minister at the time, pushed for an unconventional remote presidential election—a process that didn’t exist under Polish law. He initiated talks with the post office and national printing works to prepare ballots. However, the initiative collapsed, leaving taxpayers on the hook for a hefty €13 million (over 56 million zloty). The presidential election was ultimately held the traditional way a few months later, resulting in the re-election of Andrzej Duda, a fellow member of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party.
Bodnar claims that Morawiecki’s actions harmed the public interest by disregarding the constitutional rights of voters and wasting public funds. The amount squandered, he says, was no less than 56 million zloty. In 2020, an administrative court found Morawiecki guilty, though he appealed the ruling. After the appeal was rejected, criminal proceedings were triggered.
Morawiecki, however, insists he was simply trying to organize elections in a challenging situation, aiming to uphold the constitutional timeline while ensuring citizens’ health. He defends himself by citing a 2023 Constitutional Court ruling, which supported his decision to push for a remote election. Even though he no longer holds a government role, Morawiecki continues to be a target of Poland’s ruling left-wing, especially as he now leads the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament.
His political opponents back the move to strip him of his immunity, arguing that it highlights the loyalty of Polish leaders who have broken ranks with PiS. They reject the Constitutional Court’s ruling, claiming it’s influenced by PiS. Poland’s Interior Minister recently tweeted support for lifting Morawiecki’s immunity, stating, “There are no sacred cows in Poland.”
While Morawiecki maintains that he has done nothing wrong and is ready to forgo his immunity, he sees the legal challenge as a political strategy designed to distract from the government’s failures, particularly its economic struggles. The PiS has the parliamentary majority needed to secure the immunity lift, and the request has already been submitted for review. If the process is successful, Morawiecki could face up to three years in prison.
